


A Christmas Ballad

by endlessnightlock (Endlessnightlock)



Series: Home Is Wherever I Am With You [2]
Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: 1930's Appalachia, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Historical, Christmas With Family, Comfort, Daddy Peeta, F/M, Momma Katniss, family love, mention of a an accident resulting in an amputation, mention of a previous accident resulting in an amputation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:53:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28229439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Endlessnightlock/pseuds/endlessnightlock
Summary: Katniss and Peeta don't have much, but they still want to give their babies the best Christmas morning ever. Toastbaby 2's first Christmas. 1930's Appalachia Everlark.A continuation of one of my other fics. I hope you enjoy it!
Relationships: Katniss Everdeen/Peeta Mellark
Series: Home Is Wherever I Am With You [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2086626
Comments: 30
Kudos: 53
Collections: The Hunger Games 2020 Season of Hope Holiday Gift Exchange





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hutchabelle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hutchabelle/gifts).



Katniss is up before the rest of her family on Christmas morning, managing to climb out of bed and shut the bedroom door behind her without waking up Peeta or the baby. 

Once in their small house’s main room, she putters around quietly for a bit, getting the stove going again, raising the temperature to a comfortable level. Peeta typically takes care of this chore, but she lets her husband sleep a little later today since he gets up before the sun almost every other day of the year. 

Katniss puts on a pot of coffee, and once it’s finished brewing, she takes a cup and stands at the kitchen window. The pleasant warmth from the cup chases the lingering chill from her fingers. She wears her flannel nightgown, and her hair is in two braids, just like she wore it as a girl when Momma and Daddy were still alive. 

Now they are both gone, and she’s the mother herself. How funny life is sometimes.

In the distance, fog curls itself low at the hills’ bottom slope, lingering around the winter-dormant trees' base. It’s going to be a warm holiday this year. The temperature will probably wind up near forty or more before it’s over if Katniss were to guess. 

At least enough snow fell last year that Bluebell, or Belle as they call her, their four-year-old daughter, will have a memory of going outside and playing in it on a Christmas Day because she certainly won't be doing it this Christmas.

Katniss, reveling in the still and quiet before the start of the day as mothers of young children have a habit of doing, finds her mind wandering to their plans. They’ll have breakfast once everyone is up; there are cinnamon rolls to bake courtesy of Peeta whipping them up last night, and the hens are still laying, so they’ll have eggs too. Best of all, there’s fresh bacon. Her father-in-law dropped off some yesterday as an early Christmas gift. Meat from their hogs is so much tastier than anything they could get at the store.

Katniss’s mouth waters a little at the thought of the spread. Between nursing Asher every few hours and taking care of the family’s needs, she’s hungry enough these days to eat them out of house and home. Peeta likes to tease her about her appetite, but she doesn’t mind because he saves whatever seconds they have left for her. Even after almost five years of married life and the hard times that followed when Peeta lost his leg in the accident, her husband is still a thoughtful man.

Once breakfast is over, they’ll open presents. This year there’s something for everyone, each item carefully wrapped up in hand-decorated paper, just waiting in the drawer to be placed under the tree before Belle gets up. Asher is too little to know the difference but will surely enjoy the festivities. 

Among other things, Katniss is thankful for the luxury of enough to go around this year. She didn’t mind the few years where there was nothing for her or Peeta to give one another except a scrap bag hankie or a decorated cookie from the reconstructed bakery, but she knows he did mind. Like most men, he still has too much pride sometimes; it hurts him to think he can’t provide enough for their family. 

Then again, she has plenty of stubbornness to act as a foil to his pride. The two are getting better at working through those things, though; they’re able to talk things out instead of pouting or fighting. Katniss allows him to care for her the way he delights in doing, while Peeta understands he isn’t failing at being a husband when an unexpected setback occurs. Every year they’ve drawn closer together. Every year, the two of them seem to know each other better. 

They’ll have little things to take care of after breakfast and presents, of course. There are chores to do and animals to tend to; just because it’s Christmas doesn’t mean those things can get neglected. Katniss finds a particular comfort in the routines of daily life, anyway. Life is uncertain in the Appalachian mountains where they live, and the whole country is just coming out of a period President Roosevelt labeled as The Great Depression. As far as she can see, most of the people around them have lived their whole lives in such a state, not just the last ten years or so. 

Katniss has learned to enjoy the good things like love and new babies and a warm house and a full belly, and she knows to hold onto those memories when the hardships follow. Because troubles always follow the good. As the currents in the mountain lake do, each comes and passes away again just the same: Ebb and flow, washing away the old and carrying in the new.

She’d better get busy and soon because there are still presents to layout and a few tiny candles ready to light on the tree they brought inside earlier this week. The evergreen branches are covered in ribbon scraps tied in bows and felt animals she cut out and stitched for Belle. Strings of popcorn make a fair garland, as long as they don't get too close to the candles’ low flame.

The sound of the bedroom door opening behind her shakes her from her thoughts. Peeta gently shuts it before moving towards her, being as quiet as he can with his crutch. Katniss should’ve known he wouldn’t sleep in this morning- he rarely does. She’s glad to see him, though. 

“Good morning,” Peeta greets her, voice low so as not to wake anyone else up yet.

“Morning,” Katniss answers softly, laying her hand on his shoulder when he reaches her side. 

She’s continually touching him when he’s around, reassuring herself that he’s still here with her. The bakery accident may have been years ago, but some days, it seems that it was just yesterday when he lost his left leg from the knee down to a gunshot wound. Katniss had been so sure she would lose him for good back then- it was the hardest thing she ever lived through. 

“Did you sleep fine?” The question is redundant, she knows. Katniss asks him the same question every day, but Peeta’s amputation site often gives him trouble, so it’s not unwarranted. She does fuss over him a bit.

”Finer than a frog’s hair,” Peeta answers, making her laugh.

”Now, who’d you pick that one up from?” she asks as he wraps his free arm around her waist and kisses the top of her head. The expression isn’t one Katniss is used to hearing him say.

”Aww, I don't know, honey,” Peeta tells her, moving toward the stove to get his cup of coffee. ”You know me; I’m just a word sponge. Probably something from Haymitch.”

She sighs. “That sounds about right.”

It’s been a while since Haymitch has been to see them. He’s shut himself up inside his home at the bottom of the hollow for the most part since fall slid into winter. The years of hard drinking and hard living seem to have caught up with him at last in the form of a persistent cough. Prim tells her she’s sure that Haymitch has consumption, so it’s best if they stay away for the little one’s sake.

Katniss knows Peeta misses his games of checkers with Haymitch in the evenings, but just like so many things; it’s time has passed. They’re so busy with both Belle and Asher right now; it would be difficult to work a match in anyway. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t miss Haymitch- she’s grown accustomed to his company, even if she isn’t willing to admit it out loud.

Peeta makes his way over to the stove and opens the door to check the temperature. When he judges it to be just right, he slides the rolls inside to bake. Katniss is a fair cook, but he is better at baking, and if he’s home, she happily steps aside and lets him take care of it. “You got this under control out here?” she asks, and at his nod, Katniss returns to the bedroom to get the presents to lay under the tree. 

Six-month-old Asher is still asleep in his cradle. He doesn’t even stir as Katniss creeps into the bedroom. His round cheeks are flushed, his arm stretched above his head. Messy blond curls form a fluffy halo. 

Asher is a funny baby- while Belle was calm and wide-eyed, happy to be toted along wherever her momma or daddy took her and glad to bequeath her smiles on all, he’s different. Katniss would describe her son as nosy- Asher is prone to fuss when he wants someone to pick him up; when he wants to move around the room and look at things, he’s not shy about hollering until someone takes him. Asher is undoubtedly the more demanding of her children.

Katniss carefully eases the top drawer open; inside are four packages wrapped in newsprint- one for Belle, Asher, Prim, and Peeta. She knows Peeta has something hidden for her somewhere around the house, he dropped enough hints about it, but she supposes he will surprise her with it later. 

Staying quiet, she closes the drawer and exits the bedroom, shutting the door gently behind her. Asher is such a busy boy; she has no real desire to wake him early because he doesn’t stop once he’s up.

Katniss in the living room, laying the gifts under the tree when the other bedroom door opens and Prim and Belle come out into the main room. 

“Did Santa come?” Belle asks, those wide blue eyes like her Daddy’s wholly focused on the tree as she runs towards it, squealing. 

“Yes. You must have been very good this year,” Katniss tells her, catching Prim’s eye over Belle’s head with a barely concealed smile. The little girl is quick to discard that her momma was the one she saw laying the gifts out underneath the tree.

“I sent Santa a letter, Belle, just to tell him how good you been,” Prim says solemnly. “That means that piece of paper- it went all the way to the North Pole. That’s clear up at the top of the world. Did you know that?”

“No, I didn’t,” Belle says solemnly.

Katniss puts her arm around Prim’s waist and pulls her sister close. They stand silently because the two women’s feelings don’t need verbalizing- their bond is rooted deeper than that. If Katniss is a little emotional with Prim this year, that’s excusable. This year marks the last Christmas her sister will spend living with their family. On New Year’s Day, she’s marrying the second oldest Hawthorne boy, Rory, who she got acquainted with while learning the healer/midwifery trade from his mother, Hazelle. 

“Daddy, did you see what Santa brought us?” Belle asks excitedly, pointing to the tree.

“I sure did, babydoll. I wonder which one is yours?” Peeta scoops her up in his free arm, and she squeals as he lifts her high in the air next to the tree, balancing her on his shoulder.

“Don’t know, but I hope he brought the biggest one for me. Or should I say bubby should get the biggest one? That seems more like something a good girl ought to say.”

Peeta laughs heartily, setting Belle back on the floor. “Aww, that’s alright. I think Santa Claus lets you off the hook for Christmas Day. Pretty sure you got till New Years Day at least until you have to start being really good again.”

“Peeta!” Katniss scolds, but he grins unrepentantly.

“Oh, that’s good,” Belle tells her daddy, looking deadly serious. “I could use a break.”

“You still gotta listen to your momma and kiss your brother, Bluebell. Those don’t change just because it’s Christmas.” 

“I know, Daddy.”

“I’m going to go take care of Lady and check for eggs. Want to come?” Prim asks, walking towards the door where she grabs her sweater from her hook, taking Belle’s down as well. She gestures for her niece to follow her outside. “The sooner we take care of chores, the sooner we can have breakfast and then presents.”

“Prim’s right, you know,” Katniss reminds Belle when her daughter frowns at the adults- she's such an astute child. It’s as if her expression tells each of them: “you aren’t fooling me one bit.’

“You’d best get busy, I suppose,” Katniss says, swiftly lifting her coffee cup to her lips to hide her smile.

”Yes, Momma,” Belle replies, taking her sweater and following Prim out the door.

  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

Katniss sits in the rocker with baby Asher in her lap. Her son is busy exploring his brand new froggy-go-jump along, gripping it tightly as it can be in his chubby baby fingers. A line of drool strings from the corner of Asher’s pursed pink lips down to one smooth-polished corner where he just dislodged his mouth. His feet kick out from beneath his gown in joy, unaware the toy is to be pulled on the floor by a string and not used as a gnaw post for a teething baby. 

Everyone is delighted with their gifts.

Katniss leans forward, adjusting the pretty woven shawl draped around her shoulders, so it doesn’t slip off. It’s from Prim and goes nicely with the hand-carved broach Peeta gave her. She has no idea how Prim or Peeta kept their presents a secret from her for so long, but they did. She was completely surprised by them. 

The shawl is soft grey to match her eyes, and it did a fine job of keeping her upper half warm just a moment ago when she unbuttoned her dress to feed Asher. Prim told her that was just what she’d intended the gift to be used for, warmth and privacy if they happened to have someone visiting at the time. 

The pin Peeta carved for her is basswood and has tiny, scalloped edges, and the center is an intricate, interwoven design of katniss, ash leaves and berries, and little bluebells. Each leaf and flower and berry is so detailed they almost seem real. Her husband’s talent for making something so beautiful out of a small piece of wood astounds her. She’d hardly been able to control her emotion at the care that had gone into it, hurriedly wiping the tears from her eyes before taking his face in hand and kissing him on the lips. His happiness at her pleasure had been evident at the gentle smile creeping from his mouth to his eyes, taking over his whole face.

But that is her Peeta and her sister both, quietly caring for her all of the time. 

Yes, she is very, very fortunate.

Peeta tried on his new pajamas, red and white striped “like a candy cane,” Belle declared them. She hugged his legs when he came out of the bedroom to show them off, the same sweet clutched in her hand. 

All the children in town and the surrounding Seam received a small bag of candy yesterday afternoon courtesy of the mining company, whether their fathers were employed there or not. 

The peppermint scent brings a wave of nostalgia, reminding Katniss of her father and the days spent with him at the store when she was a young girl. 

Today, the memory leaves her more happy than sad, and a wish that her father could’ve lived to know and see the way their small family has grown since he’s been gone. If he is anywhere, she hopes he knows that things have turned out alright.

For her present, Belle received a small doll from her parents and some hand-stitched dresses from Prim- who made the little gowns and a jacket from some fabric in the sewing scrap-bag. She also promised to help build and furnish a small house for her dolly after Christmas. 

Katniss thought Prim might be spreading herself a little thin with all her promises, what with getting married at the week’s end, but Prim laughed off her concerns. 

“I’ll still have time,” she said, “don’t worry! Besides, how fun it will be! You know I love pretty things.”

This year, despite Prim’s love of pretty things, her gift from Katniss and Peeta of a cast-iron skillet is an immensely practical one. Peeta teased, said the skillet could also stand in as a handy weapon if she and Rory get into an argument, one she might be in danger of losing. 

“But you best not let him know I gave you that hint, ” he told her when she unwrapped it, earning an eye-roll from Prim and Katniss both.

“Momma- can bubby sit on the floor with me and play?” Belle asks, skipping over to where Katniss sits in the rocking chair. “I can get his blanket since the floor’s probably cold. I just want to show him how his jumpy frog works.”

Asher squeals loudly at his sister before Katniss can answer, bouncing on his momma’s lap and kicking his feet in delight. “I think you’d better do it,” she says as Asher attempts to scoot off her lap, trying to get to Belle. He adores his sister. If it came down to it and she had to name a name, Katniss is probably Asher’s favorite person right now, simply because she’s his source of food and comfort. If you discarded the crucial role she plays, though? Belle would easily be his first choice. 

Once Belle has his blanket on the floor, Katniss sits the six-month-old down on his bottom but leans over to support his back. Asher’s still a bit wobbly on his own, and she doesn’t particularly want him to hit his head on the floor and burst into tears on his very first Christmas.

Belle gets on her hands and knees next to her brother. She sets the jumpy frog down in front of Asher, directly within his line of sight. His frog is the perfect distance where he can just grab it with little effort. Sometimes Belle gets things too close to his face- mostly when he was newborn, but she’s been listening to her momma and daddy’s instruction and is doing much better lately.

“Okay, bubby- you just gotta pull the string. Like this-” Belle says, demonstrating how it works. Asher watches his sister pull his toy, a line of drool creeping out of the corner of his mouth and making its way down his chin. His pudgy feet kick out and flare his gown around his legs as the frog makes it’s way across the floor in a looping, hopping path over the uneven floorboards.

“You’re about to take off, aren’t you, little guy?” Peeta asks, holding onto the side of Katniss’s chair for support as he lowers himself to the floor next to Belle and Asher. “Let me hold you while I still can. You’re such a busy fella; I know once you start walking, you’re going to bypass that and go straight to running. I’ll never be able to keep up with you on just one leg.”

Katniss shares a brief smile with Peeta before he turns his attention to the kids again. She knew it wouldn’t be very long until he came over to play with everybody. Peeta can’t stand to stay out of the fun when he’s home, and he’s just as much of a baby hog with Asher as he was with Belle. 

Mostly it’s just that Peeta’s a good daddy, never wanting to miss a minute of anything the kids are up to. His reserve of energy for Belle and Asher is almost inexhaustible while hers is not. She’s the one who needs to be alone for a while at some point during the day, even if it’s just to do something in the backyard or go for a quick walk while Prim or Peeta stays with the kids.

Once he’s settled on the floor, Peeta takes Asher out of Katniss’s hands and sets their son between his legs. While she leans back in the chair, he bows himself over like he’s going to take the string from Belle’s hand, but instead, turns his head to blow raspberries on Asher’s neck. 

The baby laughs a loud, happy noise and smacks his chubby hands on the floor. 

Froggy gets abandoned for good once Belle crawls into Peeta’s lap as well, plopping down on his good leg and leaning back against his chest. Peeta wraps his arm around her waist and kisses the top of her head, making sure to move her away from Asher so she doesn’t bump into him and both kids can have room. “There’s my girl,” he says. 

Katniss doesn’t miss the smile forming on Belle’s face at Peeta’s words. Their daughter gets a little jealous of the attention Asher gets sometimes, but instead of scolding Belle for it, they try to give her a little extra love or include her in what they are doing with him. Katniss remembers well what it was like to share Momma and Daddy after Prim was born- having to move from your folks’ one and only to the sudden role of oldest child wasn’t without a little heartache. 

It’s difficult to feel displaced by the newcomer, especially when you’re only four like Belle.

The three of them, Asher and Belle, and Peeta sit in a little huddle on the floor, giggling and tickling, until Belle finally has Peeta flat on his back on the defense, holding her straight out in his arms. Asher holds on tight to Peeta- he’s managed to propel up his daddy’s body by using his soggy fist to grab a handful of his pant leg. He looks pleased as punch at the progress.

Before Asher loses his balance, Katniss stands to grab him. He squeals in protest over being taken away from all the fun with his sister and daddy. Katniss ignores him; Asher wouldn’t last long upright the way he is- he’s not that strong yet.

“Momma,” Belle begins while Peeta sets her down on the floor with a laugh. She gets onto her knees to stand up while he pushes himself up to sit behind her. “When’s Haymitch coming over to have Christmas with us? I know all we’re going to Granddaddy’s this afternoon. Does that mean Haymitch will come tonight?”

Katniss bites her lip, shaking her head at Prim, who’d begun to answer. This was a conversation she should have had with Belle a long time ago- it wasn’t Prim’s responsibility. She wasn’t going to put off explain Haymitch’s absence in the evenings for checkers or stories anymore. She hates to give Belle the bad news on Christmas Day but supposes it’s better to tell her the truth and just get it over with; in a way a four-year-old can understand, of course. She’d never liked being lied to as a child and tries not to do it with Belle.

“Haymitch is real sick, sweetheart,” Katniss explains. She sits down in the chair again, resting Asher in her lap before she reaches for Belle’s hand, tugging the girl close against her side. “And what he has could make the rest of us sick, so he can’t come to the house anymore.”

“He’s sick- will he get better?” Belle asks, wide blue eyes focusing wholly on her. “I want him to get better.”

“I know. Me too,” Katniss answers around the lump in her throat, “but we’re not sure, Belle.”

“What’s he gonna do about Christmas this year then, Momma?” Belle asks after a long enough pause that Katniss knows she’s put some thought into it. “Haymitch can’t spend Christmas all alone- that’s just not right. Even if he is sick.”

“Pumpkin,” Peeta says after pulling himself up off the floor and standing next to her, “I wish there was something else we could do for him. I miss Haymitch too-”

Katniss smiles wryly, turning her head to cover her mouth lest Belle gets the wrong idea about her laugher. 

It’s just a touch of dark humor. Of course, Katniss isn’t laughing at Haymitch’s illness, but rather the memory of him always underfoot or showing up during the most inopportune moments of their lives, including the day Belle was born. She smothers a laugh against her shoulder.

Katniss sobers quickly, though, remembering the day Peeta almost died and how Haymitch supported her unequivocally. Her relationship with him changed from that day on. 

She likes to think they’ve been a positive influence on Haymitch as well- he has cut his drinking way back in recent years.

“-But we can’t,” Peeta continues, “you or bubby could get very sick, even sicker than Haymitch is right now. Yours and Asher’s bodies are small, and you might not be able to fight it off if you came down with it. Your momma and I can’t take that risk to you two, just for a visit. Haymitch understands. He knows we still love him, even if we can’t be there.”

Belle frowns. “I don’t like it, Daddy. Not a bit.”

“Me neither,” Katniss admits, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. 

Everyone settles in after that with their own things, ready to rest a bit after the excitement of the morning. Belle and Peeta move to the sofa, where they pull her picture book off the side table to read together. Belle chooses a story she thinks her new doll will like, and Peeta complies because he makes the best animal noises. Prim brings her cup of coffee with her, sitting at Belle’s side. Peeta begins the story about David and Goliath.

Katniss bounces Asher on her knee in the rocking chair, not because he’s fussing but because she’s restless and fidgety, and he enjoys the movement. She can’t stop thinking about Haymitch, alone at his house on Christmas. 

She hates having her hands tied, unable to do anything to help him. She wishes there was something they could do.

“Oh,” Katniss exclaims out loud, starling herself because she was so deep in thought when the idea hit her. But she’s thought of something they can do. They’ll just have time before they have to be at her in-laws’ house for Christmas dinner.

Asher turns around in her lap and stares, sucking on a corner of his gown-wrapped fist, grey eyes fixed solemnly on her face. Peeta and Belle glance up at her as well. 

“I know something we can do for Haymitch,” Katniss says, getting out of her chair. “I’m going to check Asher’s diaper, and then we all need to put on our coats.”

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


“Who’s out there?” Haymitch calls. His voice sounds weak as he steps out his door and on to the front porch, peering at them across the scrubby brown grass and shrubs making up the landscape of his back yard. Unless his eyesight is going with his lungs, Katniss knows he can see them just fine. He’s just being Haymitch.

Belle hops up and down in place and waves to him. “It’s us,” she hollers excitedly.

“I can see that now, girl-” Haymitch begins to answer but breaks off coughing mid-sentence. He can’t seem to get any other words out.

“We’ve come to sing a song for you for Christmas!” Belle continues. 

“I’m just here for moral support,” Peeta laughs, taking Asher from Prim’s arms to free her up after carrying the baby over. It’s a far piece to manage with his crutch. “Not much of a singer, myself.”

Katniss’s hands are full with the guitar Haymitch gave her months ago, back before he got too sick to come to the house anymore. She’s learned to play it pretty well. Haymitch told her she was a natural, and “since she had a voice like a bird anyway, you’d better keep the instrument and put it to good use.”

Haymitch leans against the doorframe once his coughing spell ends and waves at the family. 

Katniss realizes he’s not raising his voice to speak to them again because he can’t do it without beginning another round of coughing. “He’s in terrible shape, isn’t he?” she whispers to her sister, trying not to sound as stricken as she feels at the idea. Belle doesn’t need to see her cry.

Prim nods. “Haymitch has the rattle in his lungs now.” She prudently left out the implied word- _death_ rattle.

Before Katniss gets a chance to reply to Prim, Belle pipes in again- “What’cha want us to sing?” she calls out.

“Anything you like,” Haymitch manages. “But you better make it quick before I expire out here-” he trails off in a coughing fit.

“Momma,” Belle asks Katniss, her little face screwed up in thought. “I know it’s Christmas, but would you sing Wildwood Flower? I just love that one cause you and me and Prim are all named for flowers. It seems fittin’. Can we do it, please?”

Katniss can’t argue with that, so she nods. “Okay, Belle. I think Haymitch will enjoy that just as much, even if it is a little mournful.”

With the decision made, she strums a few chords on the guitar before beginning to sing:

_I will twine, I will mingle my raven black hair_

_With the roses so red and the lilies so fair_

Prim and Belle join in on the second part of each verse, Prim taking the low part and Belle the high harmony in her clear voice.

_And the myrtle so bright with its emerald hue_

_The pale amanita and the hyssop so blue_

_I will dance, I will sing, and my laugh shall be gay_

_I will charm every heart, in his crown I will sway_

_I woke from my dreaming, my idol was clay_

_All portions of loving had all flown away_

_But he taught me to love him and promised to love_

_And to cherish me over all others above_

_My poor heart is wondering no misery can tell_

_He left with no warning, no word of farewell_

_Well you told me you love me and called me your flower_

_That was blooming to cheer you through life's dreary hour_

_I live to see him regret life's dark hour_

_He's gone and neglected this pale wildwood flower_

Katniss glances up once her fingers cease strumming the guitar strings. She sets the butt of the instrument on the ground and holds it carefully by the neck. 

Belle is busy chattering again, but Katniss remains silent in contemplation, aware that this is probably the last time they’ll see Haymitch. 

The old man has to sense it too, and he doesn’t try to speak again; instead, he kisses the tips of his middle three fingers and holds them high in a symbol that means _thank_ _you_ and _goodbye_.

“Goodbye, Haymitch,” Katniss whispers, willing herself not to cry. Peeta steps to her side, and Prim wraps an arm around her waist. Together they return the raised hand gesture.

And then they walk away, towards town and dinner with the Mellark family because it’s Christmas, and it’s not a day for sorrow, only one for remembrance.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I enjoyed taking another look at Peeta, Katniss, and their family a little farther in the future. Leave a comment if you're feeling it. I love to talk!
> 
> You can find me on Tumblr; I'm @endlessnightlock there as well.
> 
> Thank you for reading <3.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! There will be one more chapter after this, possibly two.


End file.
